This invention relates to limb-positioning and traction devices and in particular limb-positioning and traction devices that can be adapted for use for a variety of surgical procedures, a variety of positions and a variety of limbs.
In the performance of surgery or other medical procedures it is often desirable to support a limb or other part of the patient""s body in a particular position during the procedure. Since no two patients"" bodies are alike, it is important that a device which facilitates such positioning can accommodate a diverse group of patient sizes. The positioning of the limb is of particular importance during orthopaedic surgery, particularly with regard to arthroscopic surgery wherein the patient""s joint is manipulated to provide access to the arthroscope.
To date some limb-positioning devices have been suggested. However, typically these devices are large devices that are difficult to use and often they are single purpose or essentially single purpose devices. One such device is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,579,324 and 4,702,465 both issued to McConnell on Apr. 1, 1986 and Oct. 27, 1987. This device is for use in an operating room for positioning a limb. It is a large unwieldy device that would be difficult to store and more difficult to sterilize. Further, there are a number of different adjustments that need to be made to secure the device. Thus it would be difficult to easily adjust the position of the limb. Further it would be difficult for one person to adjust the position on their own. Accordingly, it is not widely used in operating rooms. Another device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,512 issued to Purnell on Oct. 5, 1999. This is a single purpose device for positioning an arm during shoulder surgery. Similarly this device is large, difficult to store and more difficult to sterilize. In addition, as with the above device there are a number of adjustments that must be made to position the limb. Thus a number of adjustments need to be made to move the limb.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a device that is easy to store, easy to sterilize and can be used for a number of different procedures.
The present invention is a limb-positioning device that is adapted for use in an operating room and is attachable to an operating room table. The limb-positioning device includes a full motion arm, a patient-receiving surgical device and tension controller. The full motion arm has a plurality of pivotally connected arms with a plurality of joints therebetween. One end of the full motion arm is adapted to be attached to an operating room table. The patient-receiving surgical device is attached to a block joint at the distal end of the full motion arm. There is a tension controller for each joint. Preferably the tension controller concurrently controls the tension in each joint. The patient-receiving surgical device may be a forearm tray, a lower leg tray, a distraction harness or a Chinese finger trap assembly.
In another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of using the limb-positioning device. The method for positioning a portion of a patient""s anatomy includes the steps of providing a limb-positioning device; attaching the limb-positioning device to an operating room table; adjusting the tension controller; supporting the portion of the patient""s anatomy on the patient-receiving surgical device; positioning the patient-receiving surgical device; and tightening the tension controller. The limb-positioning device includes a full motion arm having a plurality of pivotally connected arms with a plurality of joints therebetween and one end of the full motion arm being adapted to be attached to an operating room table; a patient-receiving surgical device attached to a block joint at the distal end of the full motion arm; and a tension controller for controlling the tension of each joint.
In a further aspect of the invention, a patient-receiving surgical device includes a patient-receiving portion and a bar attached thereto. The bar is attachable to a receiving channel on an attachment block that is attached to a ball joint at the distal end of a full motion arm of a limb-positioning device. The patient-receiving portion may be a forearm tray, a lower leg tray, a distraction harness or a Chinese finger trap assembly.
The limb-positioning described herein is relatively easy to store and sterilize. It has a single fixation point and a plurality of joints with variable friction level so that a surgeon can position patient limb without the aid of an assistant. Once positioned the device can be secured in that position. The device can accommodate limbs of varying weight. The device is designed so that if it is draped in a disposable drape and used with a disposable patient-receiving device no large part need be placed in the autoclave. This reduces the cool down tines and lowers device inventory requirements since units need not be cycled through infection control. The device herein is adapted to be used with different patient-receiving surgical devices whereby the device can be used for shoulder, knee, ankle, elbow, hip and wrist surgery.
Further features of the invention will be described or will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description.